George Washington grew hemp at his Mount Vernon farm in Virginia. Many other American farmers of his era also grew hemp, including fellow Founder and Virginian Thomas Jefferson. This was long before hemp farming was prohibited in the 20th century along with the growing of high-THC cannabis commonly called marijuana.

In a sign of the return of some lost liberty to America, hemp was once again grown and harvested at Mount Vernon this year. The reintroduction of hemp plants at Mount Vernon was made possible by a change in United States law included in the 2014 “farm bill” allowing colleges, universities, and states’ agriculture departments to grow hemp for research purposes in compliance with state laws.

In a recent NPR report, Brakkton Booker, relates how Mount Vernon, working together with the University of Virginia, has reintroduced the crop at the farm. Read and listen to Bookers telling of the story and see pictures of Mount Vernon workers in period clothing harvesting hemp and turning it into cloth fiber here.